the more for this Accusation he seemed an Hypocrite indeed but whether an Heretick I know not The Scot Heretick is accused as denying the Church Canons and the meaning of some Fathers despising the Synods Laws saying that he may still be a Bishop for so he was though he had two Sons in Adultery saith Boniface perhaps in Marriage and as he saith holding that a Man may marry his Brothers Widow and that Christ at his Descent delivered all Souls out of Hell This was a foul Error indeed if truly charged These were charged by Boniface and the Roman Synod to be forerunners of Antichrist and how like are Aldebert's Pretensions to many Roman Saints A Prayer also of Aldeberts was read in which he prayed to Angels under several strange names Bishops and Presbyters had Votes in this Council and subscribed the Hypocrites condemnation Bin. p. 218. But there is no certainty that he named more than three Angels § 23. Stephen the 2d was chosen Pope by ALL THE PEOPLE after Zachary and dyed four days after suddenly § 24. Stephen the 3d was chosen by all the People saith Anastasius Aistulphus King of the Longobards threatned Rome took their Gifts and demanded their Subjection The Pope after Gregory the 2d's Rebellion was glad to send to the Emperor to crave an Army to save Rome and Italy when he could get no help from Constant. he sent to Pepin King of France One that he had made King by Rebellion was obliged to help him and by an Army forced Aistulphus to covenant to restore Ravenna and many other Italian Cities not to the Emperor whose Agent claimed his right and was denied by Pepin but to the Pope to reward him and get the pardon of his sins Aistulphus broke his Covenants Pepin with another Army forceth him to deliver them and returneth Aistulphus dyeth Desiderius a Captain by Usurpation invadeth the Kingdom Radchis that had been King before and went into a Monastery and the Nobles of the Longobards resist the Rebel He sendeth to the Pope offering him all that he could desire more Cities to help him The Pope maketh his own bargain with him as he did with Pepin and Charles Martell before and by the help of the French setleth the Rebel Desiderius in the Kingdom Pepin maketh a Deed of Gift of all the foresaid Cities to the Church of Rome Was this Constantine's Gift He gave away another Mans the Emperor's Dominions and with Desiderius's additions now the Pope is become a Prince § 24. CCXXVIII We come now to a great General Council of 338 Bishops at Constantinople An. 754. under Constantine Copronymus against the worshiping of Images The Adversaries of it will not have it called the 7th General Council because divers Patriarchs were absent and it decreed say they against the Truth They not only condemned the worshiping of Images and Germanus Constantinus Georgius Cyprius Jo. Damascenus and other Worshipers of them as Idolaters but destroyed the Reliques of Martyrs and exacted an Oath of Men by the Cross and the holy Eucharist that they would never adore Images but execrate them as Idols nor ever pray to the holy Apostles Martyrs and blessed Virgin saith Baronius and Binnius p. 235. But the 15th and 17th definitions of this Council recited in the 2d Nicene Council shew that they were not so free from praying to the Virgin Mary and Saints as we could wish they had For they decree we must crave her intercessions and theirs but they forbad praying to their Images § 25. The Acts of this Council not pleasing the Adversaries are not delivered fully to us but it fell out that their Decrees are repeated word by word in the 2d Nicene Council and so preserved § 26. There is one Doctrinal definition of this Council owned also by their Adversaries the 2d Concil Nicen. which by the way I will take notice of about the glorified Body of Christ and consequently ours after the Resurrection that it is a Body but not Flesh Bin. p. 378. defin 7. Siquis non confessus fuerit Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum post assumptionem animatae rationalis intellectualis Carnis simul sedere cum Deo Patre atque ita quoque rursus venturum cum Paterna Majestate judicaturum vivos mortuos non amplius quidem Carnem neque incorporeum tamen ut videatur ab iis à quibus compunctus est maneat Deus extra crassitudinem carnis Anathema To which saith the Nicene Council by Epiphanius Huc usque recte sentiunt Patrum traditionibus convenientia dicunt c. Two sorts I would have take notice of this 1. The Papists who say that the Bread is turned into Christ's very Flesh when he hath no very Flesh in Heaven And therefore the meaning must be of the Sacramental Sign that it is the Representation of that real Flesh of Christ which was sacrificed on the Cross. 2. Some prejudiced Protestants that think he that saith Our Bodies and Christs in Heaven will not be Flesh and Blood formally and properly so called but spiritual glorious Bodies doth say some dangerous new assertion such gross thoughts have gross heads of the heavenly state To these I say 1. You contradict the express words of God's Spirit 1 Cor. 15. Flesh and Blood cannot enter c. That it is meant of Formal Flesh and Blood and not Metaphorical Sin is plain in the Context see Dr. Hammond on the Text. 2. Give but a true definition of Flesh and Blood and it will convince you of itself 3. You see here that you maintain an Opinion which these two even adverse General Councils anathematized § 27. By this Council we may see how little General Councils signifie with the Papists either as to Infallibility Authority or preservation of Tradition longer than they please the Pope As to their Objection that call it Pseudo-septimum that the Pope was not there I answer 1. No more was he by himself or Legate at the first of Constant. called the 2d General Council as Binnius professeth 2. Is not the Church the Church if the Pope be not there Then he may choose whether ever there shall be more General Councils as indeed he doth § 28. CCXXIX An. 756. King Pepin called a Council in France declaring that things were so far out of order that he could attempt but a partial Reformation leaving the rest till better times The first Canon was that every City have a Bishop of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signified every such Town as our Corporations and Market-Towns are And by all the old Canons and Customs except some odd ones every such Town of Christians was to have a Bishop and in Phrygia Arabia c. the Villages had Bishops saith Socrates c. And in many places the Villages had Chorepiscopos which Petavius Annot. in Epiphan Arian fully proveth were true Bishops And yet then the most of the People in most Countries were without the Church
Sin 2. His errour is practical and not only notional 3. It excludeth the contrary truth and is predominant so that what contrary truth he acknowledgeth he doth not soundly practically and prevailingly believe § 12. Were it not besides my present purpose I might manifest that every carnal ungodly man among us 1. Doth not truly believe any one Article of the Creed with a serious practical belief 2. Nor doth he consent to the Baptismal Covenant 3. Nor sincerely desire and put up one Petition of the Lords Prayer rightly understood 4. Nor sincerely obey one of the Ten Commandements 5. Nor can sincerely receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Nor 6. Is a sincere Member of the holy Catholick Church nor can sincerely hold Communion with the Saints He is an Hypocrite and damnably erroneous even while he seemeth to be Orthodox and pleadeth for the Truth and cryeth out against Heresies and Errours which he may easily and ordinarily do § 13. It hath still been one of Satans effectual Snares to deceive and damn ungodly men by to hide their own practical errour and wickedness from their Consciences by seeming to be Orthodox and crying down Errours and Heresies in others But alas how unfit persons are they for such Work And how dreadfully do they condemn themselves It is a pitiful thing to hear a man that is false to the very essence of his Baptismal Vow to revile and prosecute a poor Anabaptist though erroneous for holding that Baptism should be delayed till years of discretion that it may be the better kept Or to hear a man that obeyeth not God himself but his fleshly Lust to cry out against every Dissenter how conscionable soever for not obeying the Church in some questionable points or to hear a man that sticketh not at any wickedness that maketh for his worldly ends or pleasure to cry out against those that in fear of Perjury or Lying or other sinning against God dare not take some Oath Subscription Profession or Covenant which is imposed As these notorious Hypocrites who live quite contrary to the Christian Religion which they profess do use to call those Hypocrites that labour in all things to please God if they do but mislike any thing in their Lives So also while they are drowned in damnable Errour they cry out against Errour in those that practically hold all the Essentials of Christianity and are certainly in the way of Life if they do differ in any thing from them or are ignorant of any thing which they know He that never puts up a sincere Prayer to God for his Grace nay that would not have it to make him holy and deprive him of his sinful pleasure will yet call others erroneous and Schismaticks if they pray not by his Book or in all his Circumstances while his Heart and Family are prayerless and God's Name ofter heard in Oaths and Curses than in Prayer § 14. Because bare opinion may consist with worldliness and fleshly lusts therefore it hath long been the trick of the ungodly to seem zealous for the true Church and for right opinions and to over do here to quiet their Consciences in Sin And it hath been a Snare to many conscionable People to tempt them to suspect and dislike the Truth because ungodly Men thus stand for it and to think it must be some bad thing which wicked men seem so zealous for when as they do it but for a cover for their Sin as Hypocrites and Oppressors use long Prayers which would not serve their turn if there were not some good in it § 15. And yet Errour is such a blinding thing that it 's very usual even for grosly erroneous men to cry out most fiercely against Errour For they know not themselves and they are proud and self conceited and oft by malignity apt to suspect and condemn others What did the Jews persecute the Christians for For supposed Heresie and Errour What did the Heathens cast them to wild Beasts and Torments for For supposed Impiety and Errour because they would not erre in their Idolatry as they did What hath disquieted and torn in pieces the Christian World but erroneous and worldly Popes Patriarcks and Prelates inordinate out-crys against supposed Errours For what have they silenced hundreds and thousands of faithful Ministers of Christ for Errour For what have they racked tormented burnt to ashes and slain by the Sword so many thousand and hundred thousands O it was for Heresie or Errour And are not these men perfectly free from Errour themselves that have so great a zeal against it No so grosly erroneous are they that they deny credit to all mens Senses and know not Bread and Wine when they see and touch and taste it and would have all those destroyed that will not deny belief to sense as well as they So erroneous are they that they pretend a mortal man to be the Church Governour of all the Earth so erroneous that they think God well Worshipped by praying in words not understood and dare deny half the Sacrament of the Lords Supper to the People which they confess that he instituted and all the Church did use so erroneous that they think the flames of Purgatory will help them the better to love that God that doth torment them How foul and many are their Errours that kill and burn and damn others as erroneous But S. Iames hath told us Iam. 3. That the Wisdom is not from above but is earthly sensual and devillish which hath an envious striving zeal and that if it work not by â—eakness of wisdom and be not pure peaceable gentle easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and hypocrisie sowing the fruit of righteousness in peace by peace-making but hath bitter contention it is not of God but bringeth confusion and every evil work § 16. The Arians were cruel Persecutors on pretence of zeal against Errour as they accounted it They banished godly Pastors they killed them they cut out the Preachers Tongues they reproached them The Emperours Valens and Constantius were more fierce than the Arian Goths themselves Macedonius that denyed the Deity of the Holy Ghost was a great pretender to Orthodoxness and a great decryer and persecuter of others as erroneous and Hereticks Nestorius though somewhat worse judged of by Cyril than he deserved was justly condemned were it but for his heat and fierceness against others He fell presently upon the Novatians and other Parties and began with this overdoing zeal at his entrance O Emperour give me a Church without Heresie and I will give-thee Victory over the Persians that is Destroy all these dissenting Parties and God will prosper thee And very quickly was he deposed condemned and at last banished even to misery and death as an Heretick whether justly or no I shall say more anon The Eutychians were as great Zealots against Errour and Heresie as any of the rest They took Cyril for their Captain whom Theodoret and
Irene will do as the Pope would have her She is as much for Pictures as the Pope himself She calling this Council at Constantinople the old Soldiers bred up under the former Emperors being against Images haeresin medullitus imbiberant saith Binnius p. 396. Would not endure them in Constantinople but routed them At which the Empress being troubled dismissed the Bishops till they had purged the Army of those old Soldiers and then she called the Bishops to Nice and there they knowing their errand before-hand damned themselves and their Brethren that had held the former universal Synod and set up Images again § 55. By the way I appeal from Pride and Ignorance to Christian Sobriety and Reason how the taking down of Images can in the Roman sense be called an Heresie unless it be an Article of Faith that Images must or may be used And can any Man that ever read and believed the Scriptures and the Writings of the first four hundred years believe that having or worshiping of Images or Saints by Images is an Article of Faith or necessary to Salvation The best of them that any Man can plead with Modesty is that they are indifferent or lawful and useful to some Persons The Papists tell us now that they would not compel us to bow toward Images but leave it to our liberty Must it be Heresie and the Christian world cast into distractions about it when yet this Image-worship is Idolatry in the sense of one part of Christians and but indifferent and convenient to the ignorant that have other helps enow in the sense of others O what a Plague hath it been to the world to have a worldly Clergy invade the Churches § 56. At the meeting of this Council we have first the Call and Title in which 1. The Emperor and his Mother are called the Governors of the whole world Orbis Terrarum And yet our Papists as W. Iohnson in his Novelty represt c. would make Men believe that if they find but such a saying of a Council or of the Church it must needs signifie more than the Empire even all the Earth indeed 2. It 's expresly said over and over that this Council was called by the Emperor and by their Decree and Command Tharasius beginneth with telling them the need of Reformation for Images and reporting how they were assaulted at Constantinople when they met there and so removed to Nice c. § 57. Next the Letters of the Empress and her Son are read in which they are before made know what they must do They are told what Paul Const. on his Death-bed said for Images and that Tarasius would not take the Patriarchate till he had promise of a Council to restore them and some hopes of it The Emperor here saith that he called and Congregated the Synod and that ex universo terrarum orbe out of the whole earthly world and yet it was only out of the Roman Empire § 58. When the Bishops business was so well made known by the Woman that called them first three Bishops that had been lately forward speakers against Images in the former General Council under Constantine did humbly confess their sin to the Council and asked forgiveness that is Basil. Ancyrae Theodorus Myron and Theodosius Amorii And first Basil Bishop of Ancyra gave them his Creed in which he professed to believe in the Trinity and to embrace the intercession of the Mother of God and of the heavenly Powers and of all the Saints and with all honour to receive and embrace their holy Reliques firmly believing that he may be made Partaker of their holiness Also that he embraceth the venerable Images which the Oeconomy of our Lord Iesus Christ c. and of the inviolate Virgin our Lady the Mother of God and of the holy Apostles Prophets Martyrs and all Saints and giveth them due honour Rejecting and cursing with all his mind that called the 7th Synod that was gathered by a depraved mind and madness a false Council as alien to all Piety and Religion impiously barking against Ecclesiastical Legislation reproaching venerable Images and commanding them to be taken out of the Churches c. And to shew his zeal and lead others the way he delivereth in nine Curses or Anathemas One against those that demolish Images Another against those that expound the Scripture words against Idols and Gentile Images as against Christians Images Next he execrateth all that embrace not Images so it is now become necessary unto salvation Another Curse is against those that favour them that are against Images c. Was not the Church ill used by her Bishops when they are sure to be cursed by them one year cursing all that be for Images and another cursing all that be not for them Was it such a cursing Clergy to make a cursed Church that Christ ordained And that the Council might not suspect that this Bishop was a Temporizer and changed his Opinion with the Times first he professeth to declare all this With his whole Soul Heart and Mind and next he wisheth That if ever by any means he revolt again from Images he may be alienated from God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and the Catholick Church And thus he renounceth Repentance cursing himself if ever he repent § 59. Tharasius and his Synod glorifie God for this excellent Confession And next cometh Theodore Bishop of Myros and he doth the like and is joyfully received And next cometh Theodosius Bishop of Amorium and he more dolefully lamenteth that being a sinner and seduced he had blattered out many evils untruly against venerable Images and therefore confessing his fault he condemneth and curseth or detesteth himself resolving hereafter to do the same thing which he had cursed or spoken ill of and to teach it to the world and begging to be received among Christians though unworthy Next he offereth his Libel viz. First I approve receive salute and venerate before all things the intemerate Image of our Lord Iesus Christ our true God and the blessed Mother Virgins who brought him forth without seed whose help protection and intercession I pray for night and day that she may help me a sinner as having that power from him whom she brought into the world Christ our God And I receive and venerate the Images of Saints Apostles Prophets Martyrs Fathers Eremites not as Gods c. And with all my mind I beseech them to intercede with God for me that I may find mercy in the day of judgment On the same account I venerate the Reliques of Saints c. So he proceedeth also to his Curses and first he anathematizeth all that venerate not Images Then he curseth those that reproach them And next that speak evil of them And next he curseth those that do not from their hearts teach Christian People the veneration of holy and honourable Images of all Saints which from the beginning pleased God Qu. 1. Where shall we
in all things to acquiesce in their wholsom counsel and to undergo their remedying judgment And being glad of so wholsom an Admonition strait we intreated his beloved Son Lotharius Augustus to be speedily present that without delay with his Nobles he might come that there might be a mutual reconciliation between them according to Christian Doctrine that if there were any blemishes or discords in their hearts a pure and humble begging of Pardon might expiate them and thereupon before all the multitude he might receive the judgment of the Priesthood as Penitents do which soon after was done Therefore the Lord Ludovicus coming into the Church of Holy Mary God's Mother where rest the Bodies of Saints that is of Medard a Confessor of Christ and Bishop and of Sebastian a most excellent Martyr the Priests Deacons and no small multitude of the Clerks standing by and his Son the foresaid Lotharius being present with his Nobles and the generality of all the People even as many as the Church could hold and being prostrate on the earth upon Hair-cloth before the Holy Altar be confessed before all that he too unworthily used the Ministry committed to him and in it many wayes offended God and scandalized the Church of Christ and many ways troubled the People by his negligence And therefore for the Publick and Ecclesiastick Expiation of so great Guilts he said he would desire Penance that God being merciful by their Ministry and Help he might prosperously deserve or obtain Absolution of so great Crimes God having given them the power of Binding and Loosing whom also the Bishops as spiritual Physicians did wholsomly admonish telling him that true remission of Sin followeth pure and simple Confession that he should openly confess his Errors in which he professed that he most offended God lest he should hide any thing within or do any thing deceitfully before God as it is known to all that he did heretofore in the Palace at Compeigne when he was by another Holy Assembly reproved before all the Church And that he come not to God now as he did then by dissembling and craft with a double heart and provoke him to anger rather than to forgive his sin for it is written The dissemblers and crafty provoke the wrath of God And after this Admonition he professed that he had chiefly sinned in all those things whereupon he had been familiarly reproved by the foresaid Priests by word or writings that being by due rebuke reproved of the things they gave him a writing of containing the sum of his Guilts of which they had specially reproved him which he had in his hands viz. I. As in the same Paper is fullier contained incurring the guilt of Sacriledge and Murder in that he kept not according to his promise the fatherly Admonition and terrible Contestation made to him with Divine Invocation before the Holy-Altar in presence of the Priests and the greatest multitude of the People in that he had done violence to his Brethren and Kindred and had permitted his Nephew to be killed whom he might have delivered and that being unmindful of his Vow he after commanded the Sign of Holy Religion to be made for the revenge of his own indignation II. That being the Author of Scandal and Troubler of the Peace and Violater of the Sacraments by unlawful Power he corrupted the Covenant which was made between his Sons for the peace and unanimity of the Empire and tranquility of the Church by common Council and consent of all the faithful People and confirmed by the Sacrament and in that he compelled his faithful People in contrariety to the said first Covenant and Oath to swear another Sacrament and so fell into the guilt of Perjury by the violation of the former Oaths And how much this displeased God is plain in that the People subject to him had afterward no peace but were all led into perturbation bearing the punishment of their sins and by God's just judgment III. That against Christian Religion against his Vow without any publick profit or certain necessity deluded by evil counsel he commanded a general Expedition to be made in Lent and in the extreme parts of his Empire appointed a general Meeting or Council at the time of the Lord's Supper when the Paschal Sacraments were to be celebrated of all Christians In which Expedition as much as in him lay he drew the People into great murmuring and against right put the Priests of the Lord from their Offices and brought great oppression on the Poor IV. That he brought violence on some of his faithful People that for his and his Sons fidelity and safety and the recovery of the shaking Kingdom humbly went to him and made known to him the snares prepared for him by his Enemies And that against all Law Divine and Humane he deprived them of their Estates and commanded them to be banished and made them when absent judged to Death and doubtless induced the Iudges to false judgment And against Divine and Canonical Authority raised prejudice against the Lord's Priests or Bishops and Monks and condemned them absent And in this incurring the guilt of Murder he was a violater of the Laws of God and Man V. Of divers Sacraments Oaths contrary to each other oft made unreasonably by his Sons or People he commanding and compelling them whereby he brought no small blot of sin on the People committed to him He hereby incurred the guilt of Perjury because these are rightly charged on him as Author by whom they were compelled But in the purging of Women in unjust Iudgments in false Witnesses and Perjuries which have been committed in his presence by his permission how much he hath offended God he himself knoweth VI. Of divers Expeditions which he hath made in the Kingdom committed to him not only unprofitably but also hurtfully without counsel and profit in which many and innumerable heinous Crimes were committed in the Christian People in Murders and Perjuries in Sacriledge and Adulteries in Rapines in Burnings either in the Churches of God or divers other places in Plunderings and oppressing of the Poor by miserable usage and almost unheard of among Christians which all as is aforesaid reflect on the Author VII In the divisions of the Empire rashly made by him against the common peace and the safety of the whole Empire for his own will and the Oath which compelled all the people to swear that they would act against his Sons as Enemies when he might have pacified them by Fatherly Authority and the counsel of his faithful People VIII That so many Mischiefs and Crimes committed in the Kingdom committed to him by his negligence and improvidence were not enough which yet cannot be numbred by which the Kingdom was evidently disgraced and endangered but moreover to add to the heap of miseries he lastly drew all the People of his power to their common destruction when he ought to
doth by words saying whoever adores not the Image of our Saviour shall not see his face at his second coming adding by the same reason we venerate and adore the Image of the Blessed Virgin and the Holy Angels as the scripture describeth them and of all the Saints They that think otherwise let them be cursed from Christ. Can. 6. They anathematize Photius because he did excommunicate and anathematize the Pope and all that communicated with him Can. 7. No excommunicate men are allowed to make Images Can. 8. Is too good for the Devil to let the Church enjoy viz. That whereas it is reported that not only the heretical and usurpers but some Orthodox Patriarchs also for their own security have made men subscribe to be true to them the Synod judgeth that it shall be so no more save only that men when they are made Bishops be required as usual to declare the soundness of their faith He that violateth this Sanction let him be deprived of his honour The 10th Can. Condemneth them that hold That Man hath two Souls which they say Photius favoured and cursed them from Christ. The 11th Can. Tells us what men these Bishops were and what they sought It is That all that are made Bishops bearing on earth the person and form of the Celestial Hierarchy shall with all veneration be worshiped by all Princes and Subjects and we will not have them to go far from the Church to meet any commanders of the Army or any Nobles nor to light from their horses like supplicants or abjects that feared them nor to fall down or petition them If any Bishop hereafter shall neglect his due honour or break this Canon or permit it to be done he shall be seperated for a year from the Sacrament and that Prince Duke or Captain two years The 12. Can. Princes as prophane men be not spectators of that which holy persons do and therefore Councils be held without them Either I understand them not or it is in despite of truth that they say Vnde nec alias reperimus Oecumenicis Conciliis unquam interfuisse Neque enim fas est ut prophani Principes rerum quae sacris hominibus gerundae sunt gerunturve spectatores fiant Binnius noteth ex praescripto nempe Canonum turning an assertion de facto into one de jure and an universal into a particular by which licence of expounding what lye or blasphemy may not be justified And why then have so many thousand been cursed from Christ by Councils for unskilfulness in words § 59. The 14th Can. secureth the Bishops admirably in despite of the old reforming honest Canons decreeing that A Lay-man not excepting Kings or Parliaments shall have no power to dispute by any reason of Ecclesiastical Sanctions or to oppose the universal Church or any general Synod for the difficulty of these things and agitating them on both sides is the office of Patriarchs Priests and Doctors to whom only God hath given power of binding and loosing For though a Lay-man exceì in the praise of piety and wisdom yet he is a Lay-man and a Sheep and not a Pastor But a BISHOP though it be manifest that he is destitute of ALL VIRTUE of Religion yet he is a Pastor as long as he exerciseth the office of a Bishop and the sheep must not resist the Shepherd O brave doctrine for the Roman Kingdom A Heathen or Infidel or Mahometan or Arrian Bishop must not be opposed He that is no Christian may be a Bishop How much to be blamed were the General Councils that deposed Popes for Infidelity Diabolism Heresie Simony Perjury Blasphemy Sodomie Fornication Murders c. when a Pope that hath all these and no virtue of Religion is not to be judged by Lay-men or opposed Q. 1. May a Prince save his crown from such 2. May a man save his Wife from such or a woman refuse their copulation or defend her Chastity against them 3. What if such are drunk in the Pulpit are the People bound to be silently submissive 4. Why did Pope Nicholas decree that none should hear Mass from a Priest that liveth in fornication 5. Are Priests above Kings or are they lawless Yet this very Synod of Bishops in their Epistle to Pope Hadrian sayes Cui conâ—ictae Synodo qui tum imperitabant Michael et Basilius noster praesidebant And Basilius and Baanes were now among them And many Princes especially in France and Spain have made strict Laws to amend the Bishops § 60. One of the decrees of this Council was that Photius should not be called a Christian. Bin. p. 899. Col. 2. Yet the Apostle saith of the rejected account him not as an enemy but admonish him as a Brother 2 Thes. 3. § 61. In Bin. p. 899. is an epistle of Pope Stepheus to the Emperor Basilius which containeth the radical doctrine of all the Bishops rebellion and pride viz. that Princes are only appointed for the things of the Body or this life and prelates and Priests for the matters of the Soul and life eternal and therefore that the Prelates Empire is more excellent than the Princes as heaven is above earth Quandoquidem verbis quae ad usum vitae id est rerum praesentium pertinent Imperium a Deo traditum est ita nobis per Principem Apostolorum Petrum rerum divinarum procuratio est commissa Accipe quaeso in optimam partem quae subjicio Haec sunt capita curaeque Principis imperii vestri Nostri verò cura gregis tanto praestantior est quanto altior est terra quà m coelum Audi Dominum Tu es Petrus de vestro imperio verò quid dicit Nolite timere eos qui corpus occidunt Obtestor igitur tuam Pietatem ut Principum Apostolorum instituta sequare magna veneratione prosequare Omnium enim in orbe terrarum omnis or do et Pontificatus Ecclesiarum à principe Apostolorum Petro originem et authoritatem acceperunt O horrid falshood as before confuted § 62. Yet this Council in Breviar in Bin. p. 905. determine of the Pope that being but one Patriarch he cannot absolve one that is condemned by the other many Patriarchs § 63. Laying all together I cannot perceive by historical notice but that both Ignatius and Photius were both better Bishops than most were to be found the first being a very pious man and the other also a man of great learning and diligence But the old contention WHO SHOULD BE CHIEF or greatest made them both the great calamity of the Church I think it not in vain here to transcribe part of the summ of the life of Ignatius as written by Nicetas David Paphlago who was devoted to him though somewhat said already be repeated Ignatius being of the blood Royal was in quiet possession when denying entrance or Church Communion to Bardas Caesar for his reported Adultery he provoked that indignation in him which deposed him Bardas first perswaded the
excellency of the Truths that I am to preach and for the will of God and the good of Souls I would be a Plow-man or the meanest Trade if not a Sweep Chimney rather than a Minister Must we break our health and lay by all our worldly interest for you even for you and think not our lives and labours too good or too dear to further your Salvation and must we by you even by you be reproached after all God will be Judge between you and us whether this be not inhumane ingratitude and whether we deserve it at your hands 13. Yea it is Injustice also that you are guilty of The labourer saith Christ is worthy of his hire Luke 10. 7. Mark that you that call them Hirelings The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour 1 Tim. 5. 17. Especially they that labour in the Word and Doctrine And will you throw stones at their heads for endeavouring to save your souls Will you spit in their faces for seeking with all their might to keep you from Hell Is that their wages that you owe them But blessed be the Lord with whom is our reward though you be not gathered Isa. 49. 5. But as you love your selves take heed of that Curse Ier. 18. 20. Shall evil be recompenced for good for they have digged a pit for my soul Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them and to turn away thy wrath from them c. O how many a time have we besought the Lord for you that he would convert you and forgive you and turn away the evil that was over you And when all these our prayers and groans and tears shall be remembred against you O miserable souls how dear will you pay for all 14. And is it not a wonder that these Malignants do not see what evident light of Scripture they contradict and how many great express Commands they violate They break the fifth Commandment which requireth honour as well to spiritual Ecclesiastical Parents as to Civil and Natural And he that curseth Father and Mother his Lamp shall be put out in darkness Prov. 20. 20. The eye that mocketh at his Father and despiseth to obey his Mother the Ravens of the Valley shall pick it out and the young Eagles shall eat it Prov. 30. 17. Did these wretches never read 1 Thes. 5. 12. We beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their work sake and to be at peace among your selves And Heb. 13 17. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you And Heb. 13. 7. Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken to you the Word of God And so ver 24. And 1 Tim. 5. 17. The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour c. with abundance more such passages as these Do not you feel these fly in your faces when you oppose the Ministers of Christ Doth a Thief or Murderer sin against plainer light than you 15. These Malignants sin against the consent and experience of the Universal Church of Christ till this day The whole Church hath been for the Ministry and instructed by them and as the Child doth seek the Breast so did new-born Christians in all Ages seek the Word from the Ministers that they might live and grow thereby And all the Nations of the Christian World are for the Ministry to this day Or else they could not be for Christ and for the Church and Gospel Is it not plain therefore that these Malignants are dead branches cut off from the Church that are so set against the Spiriâ— and interest of the Church 16. Moreover they sin against the experience of all or almost all the true Christians in the world For they have all experience that Ministers are either their Fathers or Nurses in the Lord And that by their means they have had their life and strength and comforts their sins killed their graces quickned their doubts resolved the taste of the good Word of God and of the powers of the world to come May we not challenge you as Paul oft doth his Flock Whether you did not receive the illuminating sanctifying Spirit by the Ministry if ever you received it I tell you it is as much against the new and holy nature of the Saints to despise the Ministers of Christ as it is unnatural for a Child to spit in the face of his Father or Mother And the experience of sound Christians will keep them closer and help them much against this inhumanity what ever Hypocrites may do 17. And if these Malignants had not Pharaohs heart they would sure have considered that the experience of all Ages tells them that still the most wicked have been the Enemies of the Ministry and the most godly have most obeyed and honoured them in the Lord and that this Enmity hath been the common Brand of the rebellious and the fore-runner of the heavy wrath of God and that it hath gone worst with the Enemies and best with the Friends of a godly Ministry Do I need to prove this which is so much of the substance of the Old Testament and the New Was it the Friends or Enemies of all the Prophets Apostles and Ministers of Christ that Scripture and all good Writers do commend Do not the names of all Malignants against the godly Ministry stink above ground as the shame of mankind except those that are buried out of hearing or those that were converted 18. Nay such as are noted for the highest sort of the wicked upon Earth worse than Drunkards Whoremâ—ngers and such filthy Beasts The Persecutors of Gods Ministers have been ever taken as walking Devils And the hottest of Gods wrath hath faln upon them Take two instances 1. When the Iews went into Captivity this was the very cause 2 Chron. 36. 15 16. But they mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets till the wrath of the Lord arose against his people till there was no remedy 2. And when the Iews were cut quite off from the Church and made Vagabonds on the Earth this was the very cause Acts 28. 28. Be it known therefore to you that the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles and that they will hear it 1 Thes. 2. 15 16. These Jews both killed the Lord Iesus and their own Prophets and have persecuted us and they please not God and are contrary to all men forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sin alway for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost 19. It is the Devils own part that these Malignants act For it is he that is the great Enemy of
right ends 5. And if he be called to be the Pastor of a particular Church he moveth the people to consent or accept him And thus God according to his appointed Order doth call his Ministers Besides which he afterward 1. Helps them in his work 2. And procureth them liberty and often furtherance from Christian Magistrates 3. And giveth them success Proposition 5. The faithful Pastors of the Reformed Churches are these ordinary Ministers of Christ approved by him and given in great mercy to his people who are bound to know honour and obey them in the Lord. I exclude not all others but I now prove that these are true Ministers Argument 1. They that have all that is essential to true Ministers are true Ministers But such are these Pastors of the Reformed Churches as I prove thus If the Office it self be of Gods Institution and their Qualifications competent and their entrance right in every point of flat Necessity then they have all that is essential to true Ministers But the former is true as I shall prove in the three several parts 1. That the Office it self is of Gods appointment is proved fully before and confessed by all Christians that ever I knew Acts 14. 23. 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. 1 Pet. 5. 1 2. 1 Thes. 5. 12. Heb. 13. 7 17 24. Acts 20. 28. 2. For Qualifications they have 1. competent Knowledge 2. and Vtterance 3. and Godliness and these are the Qualifications that God accepteth 1 Cor. 12. 8. 1 Tim. 2. 15. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Mark the Canons of the Holy Ghost 2 Tim. 2. 2. They must be 1. Faithful men 2. Able to teach others But such are those in question 1 Tim. 3. A Bishop must be blameless that is not scandalous the husband of one Wife vigilant sober of good behaviour given to hospitality apt to teach not given to Wine no striker not greedy of filthy lucre but patient not a brawler not covetous one that ruleth well his own house having his children in subjection with all gravity To which is added Tit. 1. 8 9. A lover of good men sober just holy temperate holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught that he may be able by sound Doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gain-sayers Let all here note 1. That here is not only the mention of the Vertues necessary to the Being but to the well-being also of a Minister 2. And yet through the great mercy of God all these are the qualifications of multitudes of the Pastors of the Reformed Churches as malice it self must be forced to confess But if any deny it of any particular men as that is nothing to the rest so an unproved accusation is not by honest men to be believed The world knows that the Act for rejecting scandalous insufficient negligent Ministers is very strict and Commissioners in each County forward to execute it and Ministers have enemies enough to search out their faults and yet none are more forward than Ministers themselves to have the Act put in execution so that their standing justifies them before the world Or if any will yet deny them the necessary Qualifications I here challenge and provoke them to accuse all that are guilty and cast them out or else to confess themselves meer slanderers and back-biters and learn more truth and modesty hereafter 3. And for the third point their entrance into the Office They have all that God hath made necessary to a just entrance as I prove They that have a true Ordination and the Peoples consent and the Magistrates allowance have all that God hath made necessary to a just entrance and more than all But the said Pastors of the Reformed Churches have true Ordination and the Peoples consent and the Magistrates allowance That they have true Ordination I shall shew anone in answering all that can be said against it The Peoples consent by Electing or Accepting is known by the fact and so is the Magistrates by Law and fact I put in all this though more than necessary that all Objections may be satisfied at once So that the Enumerations being unquestionable the Conclusion is so to In short All those are true Ministers that are in an Office of Gods own Institution and are competently fitted for that Office by Knowledge Godliness and Vtterance and have all and more than all that God hath made necessary to a right entrance or admission even true Ordination consent of the Flock and the Magistrates allowance But such are the said Pastors of the Reformed Churches therefore they are true Ministers of Christ. Argument 2. Those that have not only the Essentials but excel all other Ministers on Earth that are known to the world are certainly the true Ministers of Christ. But such are the Ministers before-mentioned of the Reformed Churches Ergo. This will be proved at once with the next which is Argument 3. Either these Pastors of the Reformed Churches are the true Ministers of Christ or else there are none such visible in the world But there are such visibly and certainly in the world as was proved else there is no Church no Ordinances no Christianity no Christ For he can be no King without Subjects and Laws no Master without a School and Scholars no Physitian without Patients no Husband without his Spouse no Head without a Body no Intercessor without a Church to intercede for And to believe the holy Catholick Church and the Communion of Saints is part of our Belief and therefore the Christian Faith is gone if these be gone And that either we or None are Christs true Ministers I prove thus 1. We challenge the Adversary to name us the true Church and Ministry if these be none of them where be they and who are they speak out or give up your wicked Cause If you know not who they be or where then how know you that there are any such True Ministers are like a light that shineth to all the house even the lights of the world and like a City on a Hill that cannot be hid Mat. 5. 14 15 16. 2. But let us try the particulars 1. The Seekers have no Church or Ministry 2. The Quakers have no Ordination that we know of and are every way so unworthy and had no being in the world till a few years ago that he is either no Christian or of a crazed brain that thinks Christ hath no Church or Ministry but them 3. The Anabaptists Socinians Swenlfeldians Familists Paracelsians Weigelians and such like have no more to shew for their Ministry and Churches than we but their Errours and are so few and so lately sprung up that of them also I may say that he that takes them for the only Church or Ministers is either out of the Faith or much out of his wits 4. The Eastern and Southern Churches have no more to shew for their Ministry and Churches than we but are incomparably more ignorant and erroneous few of them doing more